The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is pleased to confirm the Participation Agreement for use with Healthcare Provider Organisations (HPOs) to participate in the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) system is in its final stages of review.
The Agreement, which sets out the terms and conditions for healthcare provider participation in the PCEHR, has undergone a number of iterations whereby the College has worked closely with medical defence organisations and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) to identify and provide solutions that protect the interests of general practitioners (GPs) and other healthcare providers.
Professor Claire Jackson, RACGP President, said despite the College remaining sceptical of the Agreement throughout key stages of the document’s development, the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) has listened and responded to the College’s concerns.
“The College has worked constructively with the Department of Health and Ageing and is pleased that a collaborative working relationship continued throughout the process, including a collective will of all involved to work towards a resolution,” Professor Jackson said.
The College will review the final iteration over the coming days and anticipates key concerns voiced throughout the development of the document, including the relevance of intellectual property in providing care and protective liability for general practices, will be addressed.
Pending final review and approval of the Agreement by the RACGP, the College will contribute to the development of explanatory documentation being led by DoHA, to support healthcare provider organisations in fully understanding the roles and responsibilities that the agreement will imply.
“It’s important that GPs and other healthcare providers participating in the PCEHR system are not only familiar with the mandatory legal requirements, but are equipped with simple explanatory materials providing the context of how the requirements will be enacted,” Professor Jackson concluded.
The RACGP is entirely committed to the uptake of e-health initiatives within the health sector. The College looks forward to continuing its strong, productive and enduring working relationship with the government and other key stakeholders to improve access to high quality healthcare for all Australians.